Stay healthy!

Flu season--H1N1 or seasonal--has hit my school like a mack truck on a mission. The last few days have been ridiculous in terms of the number of students missing.

Each Fall we always get a ton of kids who have the sniffles or colds and coughs. It happens when the weather turns and when the air gets damp. Colds just appear, kinda like morning fog. This year it's another story altogether. We have a ton of kids out sick with flu-like symptoms. Thirteen from just one class were out on Friday, and 18 are missing from a class of 26 today. Unbelievable.

I've officially become known as The Germ Nazi by my older students. As soon as one class leaves I start wiping down desks and spraying keyboards. In previous years I've only had to do it at the end of the day or between classes when I have an hour or two of nothing, but this year I'm not taking any chances. My room is a germ-free zone and I intend to keep it that way!

We've been taking precautions as a school: reminding kids to wash their hands with soap and water, giving them hand sanitizer after using the handrails, covering mouths with tissues when they cough and sneeze, and just being digilent about washing down frequently touched surfaces. It won't solve the problem completely, but it will keep it at bay for a little while longer. Hell, if I can make it to Parent-Teacher Conferences without feeling like I'm on death's doorstep, I'll consider it a victory. That's only 2 weeks, 4 days from now. I CAN DO IT!!!